Electrical connector plug



Oct. 21, 1947. ROCHE 2,429,278

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR PLUG Filed June 14, 1945 I h '1 ////////////1m 23' Bnnentor JEAN ALFRED FELIX ROCHE HIS (Ittorfieg Patented Get. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR PLUG 7 Jean A. Roche, Norwood, Ohio Application June 14, 1945, Serial No. 599,441-

3 Glaims. 1

This invention relates to pronged electrical connector plugs for use on conductor cords for electrical appliances and the like, said connector plugs being engageable with outlet receptacles for connecting the appliances to a source of electrical energy.

It is an object of this invention to provide a neat-appearing, compact, rugged, efficient, and economically produced connector plug. for use on. conductor cords for electrical appliances and the like.

Another object is the provision of a connector plug. having relatively fewparts' and of simple and economical construction, and one which may be assembled and disassembled. with minimum difficulty and skill.

Another object is to provide a novel connector plug having terminal prongs which are easily and readily insertable into and separable from the rigid. body portion of the plug Without the use or tools.

Another object of this invention is to-provide a novel connector plug having terminal prongs which firmly grip the ends of the conductor cord when. the" prongs are properly assembled in the rigid body portion of the plug, said prongs being easily and readily removable from and insertable into said body portion in case it becomes necessary and/ or desirable to install a new cord;

With these and incidental objects in view,'the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts. the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment oif which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the complete connector plug taken along line I--I, Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the outer end of the body portion of the connector plug.

Fig; 3 is a detail perspective View of. one of the terminal prongs.

Description Referring to the three figures of the drawing, the novel connector plug for use on electrical appliance cords or cables and which is the subject of this specification comprises a rigid body portion 10, which may be molded or otherwise formed of suitable plastic material having proper insu-.

lating qualities.

Preferably the body portion Ill is formed in one 2 identical halves secured together by cementing or other suitable means.

The body til has a central bore II and a connecting counterbore I2, said bore II arranged to freely receive a connector cord or cable I3", and the counterbore I2 providing room for an electricians knot, if desirable, to relieve strain on the terminal ends I4: and E5 of the cord I3.

The body Iii has identical right-hand and lefthand recesses I6 and I! for receiving identical terminal prongs I8 and. I8, each of which is formed of a continuous strip of sheet metal hav-' ing the proper conductive properties and hard enough to resist permanent deformation when the prongs are inserted into or removed from the recesses I6 and H, as will be described later.

Each prong I8 and I9 is bent back upon itself at 20 (Fig. 3) to form legs ZI and 22', having, respectively, at their ends, oppositely-bent portions 23 and 24 having, respectively, terminal-receiving notches 25 and 26. The portion 24 overlies the portion 23' with sufficient clearance to provide room for the terminals I4 and I5 and to permit said portions to by-pass each other when the legs of the prongs are sprung together for assembly into the recesses I6 and I1. 7

Each leg 2I of the prongs I8 and I9 has formed thereon a shoulder 21, which engages a corresponding shoulder 28' (Fig. 1) formed in the rec'esses IG'and I'I, when said prongs are inserted into said recesses, and serves to retain said prongs securely in' said recesses.

Channels or slots 29 and 3D, connecting the full length of the recesses I6 and IT with the counterbore I2, provide clearance for the terminal ends I4 and I5 when the prongs I8 and I9 are inserted into said recesses I 6 and I1.

To connect the terminal prongs I8 and E9 to the terminals I I' and I5 and to assemble said prongs in the recesses I6 and H, the cord or cable I3 (Fig. 1) is first threaded through the bore II and the counterbore I2 until the terminals I4 and I5 thereof extend sufliciently beyond said counterbore to facilitate the connection of the terminal prongs I8 and I9 thereto. electricians knot may be tied in the terminals I4 and I5 before the prongs are connected thereto Normally the legs 2| and 22 of the prongs I8 and I9 are slightly sprung apart, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the bared ends of the terminals I4 and I5 may be threaded through the corresponding notches 25 and 26, after which said legs are pinched or sprung together to clamp the terpiece, but, if desirable, it may be formedof two minal ends Hand I5 between the adjacent.sur

If desired, an v faces of the corresponding portions 23 and 24, as shown in Fig. 1.

With the terminal ends [4 and I5 securely clamped between the legs 2| and 22, the terminal ends of the prongs l8 and I9 are inserted into the open ends of the corresponding recesses l5 and 11, the slots 29 and 30 providing the necessary clearance for said terminals I4 and iii. The prongs l8 and I9 are then forced inwardly until the shoulders 21' thereon move beyond or by-pass the corresponding shoulders 28 in the recesses l6 and I1, whereupon the slight releasing of the spring tension in the legs 2| and 22 causes said shoulders 27 to spring into the path of the corresponding shoulders 28 to yieldingly retain said prongs l8 and 19 in said recesses.

Tapered or angular surfaces 3| (Fig. 1) formed in the recesses l6 and i7 and cooperating with corresponding surfaces on the legs 2|, force said legs inwardly to cause the oppositely-bent portions 23 and 24 thereof to firmly clamp the terminal ends 14 and i5 of the cord 13 therebetween to form a connection of superior qualities from both an electrical standpoint and a mechanical standpoint.

In case it is necessary or desirable to remove the prongs I8 and I9 from their respective recesses l6 and I7, all that is necessary is to pinch the exposed portions of the corresponding yieldable legs 2| and 22 together to disengage the shoulders 21 on the legs 2| from their corresponding shoulders 28 in said recesses I6 and l! and remove said prongs outwardly through the open ends of said recesses.

The spacing of the exposed ends of the prongs I8 and I9 is such that insertion of said prongs into the connector recesses of an electrical receptacle forms a good electrical connection but does not tend to disengage the shoulders 2'! from the corresponding shoulders 28, thus obviating the danger of pulling said prongs out of the recesses 15 and I! when the plug is removed from the receptacle.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that the present invention is directed to a compact, rugged, and mechanically and electrically efficient connector plug having a rigid body portion with recesses for the reception of terminal prongs which may be removed from or inserted into said recesses at will andwithout the use of tools, in case, for any reason, it becomes necessary to change the cord. Likewise, the prongs are constructed to firmly clamp the terminal ends of the cord when said prongs are properly assembled in the body of the plug, but, when said prongs are removed from said body, they may be easily and quickly disconnected from said terminal ends and reconnected to new terminal ends without the use of tools, thus providing a connector plug of simple and efiicient design which may be installed by persons not having unusual mechanical or electrical ability.

While the form of mechanism shown and described herein is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment disclosed herein, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector plug for connecting the terminal ends of an electrical conductor cord to a receptacle, said plug having a rigid body portion of insulating material with a central bore and claims which I a counter-bore to accommodate the cord, the combination of a terminal blade formed of a strip of conducting metal of uniform thickness and having the properties to withstand repeated flexings, said strip folded back upon itself to form overlying legs, connected at one end free at the other, said connected end forming a prong for inserting in the receptacle; a terminal clamping extension formed on the free end of one of the legs, and substantially at right angles thereto; a terminal clamping extension formed on the free end of the other leg and substantially at right angles thereto, said latter extension arranged to overlie the former extension to clamp the bared terminal end therebetween; coacting notches formed in the contiguous edges of the extensions to receive and guide the bared terminal end; a recess formed in the body of the plug and open at its outer end to receive the free ends of the legs, said recess connected by a slot to the counter-bore to provide clearance for the terminal end when the blade is assembled in the recess; a shoulder formed in the recess; and a shoulder formed on one leg of the blade and arranged to removably and yieldingly engage the shoulder in the recess, when the said blade is properly assembled therein, with sufficient firmness to prevent unintentional displacement of said blade during normal use of the connector plug, said shoulders readily disengageable for the removal of said blade from said recess.

2. In a connector plug for electrical conductor cords, said plug having a rigid body portion of insulating material with a bore and a counterbore formed therein to accommodate the cord, the combination of a terminal blade formed of a strip of yieldable conducting material of uniform thickness, said strip folded back upon itself to produce overlying legs connected at one end to form a contact portion and free at the other end; substantially parallel overlapping extensions formed on the free ends of the legs and effective to clamp the bared terminal end of the cord therebetween; coacting notches formed in the edges of the extensions to receive and guide the terminal end of the cord; a recess formed in the body of the plug and open at its outer end to receive the free ends of the legs, said recess connected by a slot to the counter-bore to provide clearance for the terminal end; a shoulder formed in the recess; and a shoulder formed on one leg of the blade and arranged to yieldingly bypass and then spring into the path of the shoulder in the recess when said blade is inserted therein, to retain said blade against displacement during normal use of the connector plug, said shoulders readily disengageable for the removal of said blade from said recess.

3. In a connector plug for electrical conductor cords, said plug having a rigid one-piece body portion of insulating material with recesses therein to accommodate the cord, the combination of a terminal blade formed of a strip of yieldable conducting metal of uniform thickness, said blade folded back upon itself to produce overlying legs connected at one end to form a contact prong and free at the other end; overlying terminal clamping extensions formed on the free ends of the legs; coacting terminal engagin and guiding notches in the clampin extensions; a recess in the body portion conforming to the shape of the free ends of the legs, said recess open at its outer end to receive said free ends of the legs; a retaining shoulder formed in the recess; and a shoulder formed on one of the legs of the blade and arranged to yieldingly by-pass and then spring back into the path of the shoulder in the recess, when said blade is inserted therein, to removably retain said. blade in said recess.

JEAN A. F. ROCHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gilbert Apr. 24, 1934.- Andre Sept, 26, 1939 Gilbert Dec. 12, 1939 Karst Nov. 8, 1938 Petry Nov. 17, 1942 Grohsgal Jan. 26, 1943 

